inFAMOUS: Second Son
by Nathan Fraust
Summary: This is my first story, really enjoying writing it, need suggestions for new OCs, powers, and plotlines. Also, for anyone who reads the entire story, I NEED REVIEWS!
1. Timeline

inFAMOUS: Second Son*

Timeline

_2011_

Jun-Aug: Anarchy as humanity reels from effects of RFI activation; Conduit race appears

Sept-Dec: UN manages to get populace under control through marshal law; Conduits vanish from public eye

_2012_

Jan-April: UN disassembles; SF (Second Family) comes into power

May-Aug: SF creates IVD (International Verification Department); IVD develops CoGS (Conduit Gene Scanner)

Sept-Dec: SF creates IDS (International Department of Security); CoGS distributed globally

_2013_

Jan-April: Jude Nero, formerly head of IDS, appointed head of SF after mysterious death of John Marx; Conduits detected in Israel

May-Aug: IVD develops and distributes CoGD(Conduit Gene Dampener) formula and MOTs; Conduit crackdown; DUP formed

Sept-Dec: Voice of Resistace brodcasts first message; New Marais becomes a safe haven for Conduits

_2014_

Jan-April: WWC (Conduit War) begins

May-Aug: Freedom City (New Empire) bombed and sieged by IDS & DUP

Sept-Dec: Anti-Conduit propaganda, low supplies weaken FC

_2015_

April 23: Freedom City falls

May-Aug: Comics banned; ICA (Independent Conduit Alliance) forms

Sept-Dec: SF and ICA take major casualties in global blitzkrieg and terrorist attacks

_2016_

Jan-Apr: Mark Walker, major ICA general, betrays ICA and joins SF

May-Aug: IVD begins experimentation of RFNs (Ray Field Enchancers) on animal test subjects

Sept-Dec: Nuclear explosion in Europe prompts IVD to accelerate RFN tests to human testing

_2017_

Jan-April: Human test subjects partially successful (mutated and unstable)

May-Aug: Mutates infiltrate Hearth City (ICA HQ)

Sept-Dec: SF activates mutates; Hearth City destroyed; crippled ICA easily overcome

Dec. 18, 2017: Jude Nero imposes totalitarian rule on United States, Diana Kyle takes control of DUP

*- Reading the timeline is recommended, but optional.


	2. Chapter I

I

The first thing he heard was the buzz. It consumed him, never ending, never stopping. A vibration followed, a pulse that threatened to obliterate his fragile hold on the single shred of reality he clung to.

Delsin Rowe opened his eyes. Sitting up, he rubbed the back of his head, which felt a bit sticky. He drew his hand into his wavering line of vision. His fingers were covered in blood.

He staggered to his feet, swaying as he took in his surroundings. There was his bike, nearly smashed and charred beyond recognition. He caught sight of a car door on the street, with a arc of slag and a molten handprint burned black in the area where the door handle would have been. There was just enough of a logo for Delsin to recognize the DUP symbol, an eagle with twin arrows. Then he saw the transport.

His brain drummed a maddening beat against his skull as he limped towards the destroyed military truck. _Dammit_, he cursed. Would this incessant pounding never end? He reached the truck, which had evidence of a firefight or some sort of incindeary devices all over it. The back of the truck was facing him, a box of smoke and flames. Delsin rushed as best he could towards the opening, trying to ignore the oily stench of smoke and burning human flesh.

He saw the shine of a DUP officer's helmet, and ignored it. Why should he care for the oppressive SOB? He peered around and noticed movement through the fumes. He hurried over to the figure and tried to get his attention.

"Sir? Sir, you need medical help." Delsin said to the hunched over man as he clapped him lightly on the shoulder. _Don't we all_, he reflected bitterly. "I need to ca-".

The man grabbed his arm and held on like a vise. "No!" he shouted hoarsely. "No hospitals! They're never taking me back!"

Delsin tried to wrench his arm away from the madman, and ended up touching his wrist to the stranger's thumb. A roar sounded in his ears, and they flew apart. Delsin hit the ground and slid to the back of the car, bashing his head on the end of a cold metal bench. He barely heard the crack of the man's neck as he slid into unconsciousness.


	3. Chapter II

II

Reginald Rowe wore a pattern across the bearskin rug as he paced in front of the phone. Delsin _should_ have been here already, he reasoned as he glanced toward the oak door, framed by the sunset's colors.

"Screw it." he said. Walking to the phone, he picked it up and dialed 425-496-1927. "Come on, Delsin, pick up..."

_I'm sorry, thi-_

"Dammit!" he said as he threw the phone across the room, where it bounced harmlessly against the wall.

Reggie stormed out of the two story house he and Delsin occupied, rushed to his police car, and got in. Punching the "on" button, he swerved out of the driveway and rushed out into the night.

:::

_7 Hours Earlier_

Delsin groaned. The air was full of smoke, but he could see the slate grey sky. _What the hell?_ he wondered, rubbing his forehead. That, too, was sticky and grimey. He groaned again, in exasperation. _I'll bleed out before anyone gets to me, _he told himself. _Better start walking._

He rose to his feet, fighting the wave of nausea that came over him, and grabbed for something to hold onto while he hung his head, gasping for air. His hand found purchase on something, but that _something_ was shifting and churning beneath his palm. He turned his head slowly, and saw nothing.

No, he realized as the object shifted to his grip, not nothing. He was holding onto a vivid black-red rod of _smoke_.

"Ahhh!" Delsin shouted as he stumbled back. And then teleported away from the pillar, which dissipated into wisps.

He stared at his hands, and noticed for the first time thin streaks of black and red in his veins. His mouth turned up.


	4. Chapter III

III

"R18, status," Officer Ichabod "Bodie" Johnson mumbled, popping a gum bubble as he languidly shuffled through the security footage from the lunch hour. _Same old crap,_ he grumbled to himself, ruffling through his dirty blonde hair. He was just about to get some afternoon shuteye when the right screens for the cameras overlooking exploded into red.

Johnson, startled, rocked back in his chair, his chest hammering. "What the hell?!" he said with ovoid eyes. His gaze leapt from monitor to monitor, never stopping for more than a few moments on each. Every screen was filled with a trio of red comets, snaking and surging up into the night sky. He frantically typed in a distress code, simultaneously tracking the objects' ascent. The group of lights suddenly coalesced into a single form: a young man, dressed in a pair of jeans, a black jean vest with a large shining mass on the chest, a dark grey hoodie, a collared button-down shirt, and a red beanie, with a strange mixture of ecstasy and terror on his face. The facial recognition softwares instantly captured the stranger's face and began to run it through the mandatory citizen portrait database. The software soon had a hit: Delsin Rowe, a 24 year old Native American male, with rebellious dark brown eyes, jet black hair, a pale tan skin tone, and a sly, unruly smirk. Born in Ravenshead, WA, to Finn and Nina Rowe, both deceased, car crash. Older brother, Reginald, police deputy, City of Rainier. He also had a record, Johnson noted. He quickly scanned through the file on hand. Vandalism, civil defiance, improper conduct in public.

Johnson started as a voice sounded hard and strong behind his head. "Johnson," the feminine voice said, "what have we got?"

"A new Biot, Ms. Kyle," Johnson gulped. He felt a trickle of sweat trail down his hairline to his left earlobe, where it hung like a icy earring. He almost pissed his pants when she walked to the right side of the chair, where she hung an arm around his shoulders as she peered at the monitor, bending forward to see the new target and his info. Daring to steal a glance in her direction, Bodie took in his superior's figure. Powerfully built extremities and abdomen, gloved hands, a decent sized bust, a hard yet beautiful Irish face framed by short red hair, and small hoop earrings. Long black military-style trench coat, a military-issue Bluetooth headset, and the bulge of a customized Glock 22 pistol on her outer thigh. Diana Kyle was one mortal siren, and more than one man learned that her first time at DUP's Washington HQ (himself not included, thank God). He heard rumors that she was involved with Jude Nero, and he never doubted it for a second.

"Johnson!"

"Ye-es-s ma'am!" he stuttered, shaken out of his musings. Kyle stared at him in annoyance.

"I _said_, call in the SeaTac units. Tell them to go to Ravenshead and shake down the area. If anyone resists, cull the town."

_Oh, crap_, he thought as he placed the call, eager to please the boss, anything to stay in her graces.

:::

_1 Hour Earlier_

Delsin stood in shock and ecstasy. He was one of _them_, a Bioterrorist. His grin grew even larger. He thrust his hand out, and a bolt of thick, hot smoke shot out of his palm and struck an oak trunk. The oak shattered under the force.

Delsin raised his eyebrows in amusement. "I wonder what else I can do?" he mused aloud. Closing his eyes and concentrating, he visualized a throwing knife. He felt the smoke bubble up between his fingers, rush over his palm, and solidify into a warm and comfortable object. Opening his eyes, Delsin saw a coal-like dagger with a perfectly ergonomic handle and a formidable razor. Twisting, he hurled the smoke knife into a maple. It tore clean through the base. The great grey-brown guardian stood tall and proud, retaining its status for a fleeting moment, before falling. But it fell in the _wrong___direction. Delsin stared in sheer paralyzingly terror as it swung faster and faster at his immobile body. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable crushing ending of his short, slightly bright life, acceptance and regret filling his body.

Then the disembodied whistling sound of high speed air filled his eardrums, making him wish that he had thought seriously about going to church , for he was sure he was going down to hell. The sound abruptly stopped, and the air began to grow cold. Delsin cracked open one eyelid to see treetops all around him, and clouds a few miles up. His expression immediately shifted to one of fear and jubilation. He began to fall, faster and faster, rocketing to the ground. Just before he hit the ground, he thought a single thought: _Sorry, Reggie_. Then he hit the pavement.


	5. Chapter IV

IV

Delsin felt his arm as he sprinted, probing it to see if he may have missed any small bits of himself a few miles away. It was difficult enough to reassemble himself after impact. It was one hell of a blast, took down at least 125 trees in an 80-mile radius. But it was worth it. He was now sure of the power he possessed, enough to take on the whole DUP. Nobody would ever challenge him again.

:::

_3 and a half hours earlier_

Diana Kyle drummed her fingers against her cedar wood work table, her chin resting on her palm, as she waited for Jude Nero to finish his meetings so that she could report. She knew all about the rumors of her and Jude Nero being involved with each other, and she smiled inwardly as she relived the experiences of the first few years with him, the feeling of safety she felt when he held her in his arms, the passion of his lips brushed against hers. God, it felt like a millenium ago.

Then it was all ripped away by that stupid fool, John Marx. She felt so powerless, so full of impotent rage. Then Kyle's love revealed his plan to do away with their imbecilic leader, his boss (as Nero was in second command of all military and political systems in the world) and her heart thrilled as he described in great detail what exactly he planned to do with the void formed in the aftermath. Yet a small part of her realized how far gone the man she had fallen in love with really was.

She followed through with her part of the shadowed coup d'etat, of course, her soul numbing and crumbling away as she dispatched the late SF leader's political family, his wife and two small daughters, and his parents. Diana waited, watching as Marx became more and more a paranoid shell of his former haughty self, damning herself to the fire as she saw how low she had sunken, and how blind she had been to trust in, even _love_, a sociopathic sadist like Nero. Soon after the loss of his strongest supporters, and thus the majority of his power, John Marx reportedly committed suicide in his then soon-to-be-foreclosed house.

But she knew better. She could still hear the bastard Nero boasting in bed about how he revealed himself to a poisoned, paralyzed, and slowly dying Marx as the master planner in the overthrow of his hated rival's fool-headed "regime", how he manipulated everyone he had under his control to destroy Marx's life. Then she listened in growing horror and fear as he told how he had tortured him ever so slowly, relishing in the pain he inflicted upon his victim, before finally ending the man's suffering with a bullet to the head.

She had felt like retching upon the sheets that covered Jude's chest, but had managed to suppress it. But he must have sensed her revulsion, for a few months later, she was shipped off to DUP Headquarters at Olympia, a city in the military district of the former Independent Conduit Alliance state of Columbia. Kyle took out her rage against Nero on the senior veterans of the task force, injuring many of them in the process. She was quickly promoted to head of the Department. She toughened the weak soldiers through fire and increased the territory the DUP controlled, determined to prove herself to her leader.

A soft, melodious voice brought her back from the misty shadows of her memories. "Hello, Ms. Kyle," a 3D life size hologram of Jude Nero, Head of SF, said.

"Hello, Mr. Nero," Diana said, quickly composing herself before her former lover.

"I have heard that there is a new abomination in Washington, a powerful one. Tell me, is there merit to what I have heard?"

"Yes, sir." Diana said, almost robotically.

"I assume you have a plan to take care of it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," the Head said, bending his head slightly in commendation of her initiative. "Until next time, Ms. Kyle."

"Until next time, Mr. Nero." Diana said. As the hologram fizzled out, she leaned back, blowing out the pent-up breath caused by the tension of the meeting, the barely veiled threats Nero feinted at her. His message was clear: _Clean it up, or I clean up __you__._ Straightening, she picked up the desk phone, punched in a number, and said, as soon as the call connected, "I have a job for you."


	6. Chapter V

V

Reggie flashed down National Park Highway, hoping that Delsin had found shelter with some elderly couple in a homey old cabin.

"Who am I kidding?" he said. "He knows as well as I do that the DUP patrols this area. Just hope he isn't doing what I think he is..."

_2 Weeks Earlier_

Reggie turned the curb on Tipsoo Loop, his vision growing redder with every yard. He replayed Mr. Blake's words over and over again in his head. "Reginald, your punk brother is at it again. He's over near the old Salmon Bay Cannery."

He noticed a dark figure at one of the crumbling brick walls common in that area, and kicked the gas. The figure, resolving into a dark-haired youth with a red cap and a roguish smile, turned suddenly, his face changing to one of fear and relief. It was Delsin, all right, with a spray-painted DUP poster beside him. Reggie slowed and jumped out.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Reggie shouted. "You could- you could- Gahh! I can't even tell you what _they_ would do to you!"

"Hey," Delsin said, shrugging, "what they _would_ do doesn't matter, since they wouldn't give two cents what happens in this poor excuse for a shanty town."

Reggie felt the veins in the sides of his neck bulge. Grabbing the kid by the arm, he began dragging him to the still-humming car. "Do you have any idea," he said, "how embarrassing it is to keep arresting my brother over and over again?"

"Well, then," Delsin said, yanking his arm out of Reggie's grip, "should stop arresting your brother over and over again!"

"Do you think this is a joke?" Reggie shouted.

"No, I don't-" Delsin started to say.

"Is this how you want to leave your mark on the world?" Reggie said.

Delsin glanced away, his lips pressing into a tight line.

"I'll see you at home." Reggie said. "If you aren't there by the time I get back, you sleep in the cell."

:::

Reggie noticed a shadowy form on the side of the road ahead of him. Then it was gone. He glanced out the side window, straining to see in the black. The figure suddenly appeared in front of the car. Slamming on the brakes, Reggie twisted the steering wheel hard. It was already too late. The man, if he could call him that, burst as soon as Reggie hit him. A layer of grainy black stuff exploded across the window, effectively blinding him. He felt himself lose control of the car. Then the vehicle flipped, and he hit his head.

:::

Reggie slowly swam out of the black fogginess that surrounded his mind. He numbly checked himself for cuts and broken bones. He was still strapped to the seat, whose owner was lying on its side in a pool of black oil. He heard quick crunching steps. _Shit,_ Reggie thought, _he's coming back to finish the job._ He was about to undo his belt buckle when the ground around the car burst into flames. Wriggling and squirming back in horror, Reggie began to scream "Help, someone help!" He began to cough from the smoke rising up from the burning oil. He started to slip into unconsciousness. The last thing he saw before he slipped was a cloud of smoke materializing into a lanky young man with a red cap.

"Delsin…" he muttered before he was swallowed by the darkness..


	7. Interlude I

Interlude I

"Okay, is it rolling?" Abigail Walker questioned as she shoved her captive to his knees.

"Yeah, Abi, it's rolling." Luke Locke replied as he repositioned the video recorder to get a better angle of lighting.

"Okay, then," Abi muttered, focusing on the sweaty, panting, red-capped black man in front of her. _I wonder if anybody will miss him,_ she thought to herself as she steadied herself for the job ahead. _Nah,_ she decided. _All he is is scum, a single speck on the impeccable shine of this metropolis._

Luke held up an open hand, counting down. _4... 3... 2... 1..._

"Hell-o, Seattle!" Abigail said with a smirk on her face. "My name's Abigail Walker," gesturing to herself with her hands, "but my friend's and enemies call me _Fetch_. "I've never hurt an _innocent_ person in my _life_," she said, glancing down at the traitor and shaking her head slowly. Then she forced her hand into his chest, along with an armful of light.

The man grunted once, then slumped forward, his cap falling into the quickly spreading pool of blood.

Fetch leisurely stepped out of the way of the liquid, wiping her arm on a piece of moss. "It's been sent?"

"Yeah."

"Good." she nodded, a smile on her face. "Let them come. They will all burn."


	8. Chapter VI

VI

Bodie monitored the live streams of surveillance at the entrance to Lower Queen Anne, Seattle. He tried to shake off the guilt of the part he had taken in ruining that kid's life. _No,_ he said to himself, _he did all that to himself. Damn kid shouldn't have been at that wreck in the first place._

"G6, status.

"G6, clear." an officer's voice responded.

"G7, status." _That's right, Bodie. Just keep going through the motions, and you'll forget all about it soon enough._

G7, clear."

"H1, status." he sighed, gazing down at the keyboard and the automaton's fingers working duly.

His head snapped up at the sound of an explosion on one of the monitors. An alley on John Avenue was full of smoke, citizens stumbling out of the cinders to flee the scene before the authorities arrived, hacking up their lungs along the way.

"What the hell?" he shouted.

"What was that?" the surveillance officer on his left said to him in a panic.

"I- I don't know," he lied, his heart constricting and his breath coming short. "G2, status! G2, repeat, status!"

"What should we do?" the right officer questioned.

He couldn't speak; there was nothing they _could_ do.

:::

"On me," Connell commanded. "Keep your eyes peeled. _Go_," he motioned to B2.

They walked cautiously down the dark alleyway, keeping constant diagonal formation. Connell's palms grew wet quickly, barely dried by the gloves he wore. His chest pulsed and heaved.

He heard a ring and a whoosh above him, followed immediately by "Up there!" from B2.

The formation quickly dissolved into chaos as the unit's gaze shot up to the apartment rooftops, hoisting their weapons at the shadowy figure at the lip of the building. Suddenly, the figure shot a red-hot mass at B2, taking him down with a terrified cry of "Aaahhh!"

Connells's radio crackled with the terrifyingly obvious "We've lost B2. Check in, B5, B5!" He took stock of the shattered armor of his former comrade, hardening with fear and rage, saying, "Over there, go, go. Cover me." to G1 and B5. They stalked toward the back of the alley, weapons on the ready.

A man materialized in front of them, rushing toward Connell with a burning chain extended in his right hand, which he slammed down on his helmet, crushing it and the head within. He dashed towards G1, gathering something around his fist and smashing it into his mask with a hard right cross, splintering the officer's mask and skull. He turned into a fiery substance and _flew_ towards B5, grabbing his shoulders and effortlessly throwing him to the ground with a crack.

:::

Bodie watched in horrified fascination as the man, Delsin Rowe, single-handedly took down an entire squad of DUP officers in seconds. He barely noticed the cold rush of air that entered the room, nor Ms. Kyle walking towards the monitors in silence. "I want him alive," she ordered, never minding Delsin's obvious destruction of an entire _squad_. A DUP truck pulled up to the alleyway, blaring its sirens and blocking the "exit". Bodie scoffed at the amount of balls the officers had to say, "Stop right there!", in full view of their former comrades' twisted and broken bodies.

He heard a rush of air as Delsin gathered hot smoke in his hand, solidifying it into a shifting, burning throwing knife and lobbed it at the truck. The feed from the street caught the explosion of the truck back from the alley, the overturning, everything for a split second before going dark.

:::

Diana waited in enraged silence as the screens for John Avenue and Officer Harper slowly came back online, still blaring that annoying statement, "The DUP is in control of the situation." The DUP was _not_ in control, everyone could see that!

A vortex of smoke and flame began to spin in front of Harper's camera, rotating faster and faster, louder and louder, until it solidified into the figure of a man, a punk with a chain around his right wrist. She watched as he walked closer and closer, bending down and lifting the helmet to eye level. The other screens came back online, all showing the same face: Delsin Rowe. He breathed heavily, grinning, nodding and turning the helmet this way and that.

"You are _not_ in control." he said, his mouth setting in a straight line and hate in his eyes as he threw the helmet to the ground, straight in front of Harper's badly burned face.


	9. Chapter VII

VII

Delsin materialized on top of the cabin roof. He ran lightly to the edge of the building, grabbing a log, flipped into the air, and dashed into his room in one fluid motion. He shrugged off his jacket, dropping it on the floor, and fell back on the bed.

_Damn, _he thought drowsily. _I love meeting_-

He fell into the black of sleep.

:::

Delsin awoke to the sound of doors slamming and glass shattering.

"What the hell?" he muttered, rubbing his eyes and stumbling towards the door. He was about to open the door when it burst open, revealing Reggie, with bloodshot eyes and a heaving chest. Delsin glanced at Reggie's hands, noting the blood and numerous cuts on the knuckles and back.

"What do you want, Reg?" he asked exasperatedly

"What do I _want_?" Reggie questioned. "_What do I WANT?!_" He grabbed Delsin by the shoulders and slammed him against the door.

"I want to know," he said, slurring _know_, "what you did last night."

"In fact," he continued, tightening his grip on the jean vest and smearing blood into the fabric, "I want to know when you became one of _them_."

Delsin grabbed Reggie's wrists and twisted. Reggie released him with a curse.

"_I_ want to know when you started drinking again," he shouted at his brother, barely holding down his stomach when the nauseating smell of Mike's Hard Lemonade hit him.

"You want to know _that?_" Reggie scoffed. "Fine, I'll tell you. Just last night, after I waited for you for hours in front of the porch."

"And the slamming doors and shattering glass, that was you taking your rage out on the cups and doors, correct?" Delsin fumed.

"Why, yes, _brother_," Reggie shot back. "How astute you are."

Delsin shoved past Reggie, rushed down the stairs, and took in the small chaos of their living room. It smelled like vomit, sweat, and rotted wheat. KING5 was blaring from the LCD television, glass shards were everywhere, and the front door had a golf club stuck in its center.

He ignored Reggie's slurred shouting behind him, focusing on the television screen as BREAKING NEWS flashed across the glass. A reporter, Jeremiah Darnell, was reporting on the latest public execution by the Bioterrorist, Abigail Walker, or as she liked to call herself, "Fetch". The screen cut to the video of Walker with her recent victim, Matthias Black, a informant for the DUP. _More like traitor,_ Delsin thought darkly.

He stared at the picture of Fetch on the screen, admiration and hate boiling down to a cold feeling of duty. _She's going to get herself killed, and even _more _people will hate them in the end. I _have_ to stop her._

"Delsin! Look at-"

"Reggie, start up the truck." he interrupted. "I need to take care of her."

"No."

"If you don't," Delsin said coldly, "an innocent's blood will be on your hand."

Reggie was silent for a moment. "Fine," he muttered, "if you want to die, be my guest."


	10. Chapter VIII

VIII

"All right," Delsin said to Reggie as he shifted in the car seat, "I've got this whole thing figured out. We hit the town, maybe swing by the Space Needle, always wanted to see it, and then we're back home to save some lives."

"You do realize," Reggie responded, "when we _hit the town_, there's a fair chance the town's going to, y'know, _hit back_?"

"Yeah," Delsin said with a mischievous grin, "I know."

The song on the radio, Heart-Shaped Box, sputtered and faded.

"Hey, what the-" Reggie said, slapping the dashboard in annoyance.

"Hello, brothers," a wearied, yet cheerful voice said. "This is the Voice of Resistance. Now, I know I've gone silent for a time, but I have received news of a new Conduit, or Bioterrorist, as some of you dumb sheep call them, somewhere in the northwest. He seems like a pretty powerful one, too. Maybe even as good as Saint Cole…"

"This may be our _chance_, people!" the Voice said."Our chance to _rise up_ against the _oppressors_ of the common man! If this Conduit comes to you, my friends, _join_ him! He will be the one to lead you to a new age. Think on my words. Voice of Resistance, out."

Reggie turned off the radio."That guy's been gone for years, and he decides _now_ to resist the DUP?" he said, shaking his head. "Hypocrite."

Delsin only heard the same word, over and over again: _Conduit_. "So that's what I am?" he murmured. "A Conduit."

"Delsin."

"Huh?" Delsin muttered, confused

.

"I said, 'We're almost there'. I have to go around a few prices of wreckage, but I'll need your help with the burning ones."

"What? Why?"

"Because, in some of the pre-War footage from New Marais, Cole McGrath was able to absorb electricity from his surroundings. I guess you might be able to do the same."

"Okay," Delsin said, "I'll try it out."

:::

After an agonizingly slow two hours of maneuvering and hiding from DUP patrols, the Rowes finally made it to the DUP entrance gate to the Historic District. They stopped the truck and got out when they caught sight of the gate patrol and their M16s.

"Now look," Reggie murmured, "for all we know, we may be able to pass you through

their security, y'know, because you're not a normal-" Delsin looked at him sharply, "-Bioterrorist."

"Hey," Delsin said, "you heard what the Voice said. I'm a _Conduit_, not a Biot."

"Yeah, okay, got it." Reggie muttered, annoyed. "_Conduit._"

Delsin eyed the DUP guards with disdain. _Easy kills,_ he thought to himself.

"You getting the hang of your, uh, new symptoms?" Reggie asked.

"Right?" Delsin grinned. "And of course," he said, sombering, "the only downside being that, um..." He glanced at the guards. "Nope, can't think of anything." he chuckled, turning and looking at his hands. "This is _pretty freaking awesome_."

:::

He jogged forward, breathing in and out slowly, his eyes on the ground. The fire swelled within him, pushing and shoving for release.

"Halt!" he heard an officer say. "Who are you, and where are you coming from?"

Delsin craned his neck to see an officer to his right lift his gun and point it at his head menacingly. He grinned, the red-hot rage swelling up.

"I _said_," the guard repeated, "_who are_-"

"I am death," Delsin whispered. He uncurled his bike chain, dashed to the guard, and smashed his knees and ribs.

The others noticed, and began firing. Delsin strafed left and right, shooting at them from the corner of his eye. He barely felt the bullets as they passed through his body. The flame rose again. He leapt forward, gathering the vapors and heat in the air, before slamming his fist into the asphalt. The road ahead of him shattered into flaming rubble, tossing the guards back.

Delsin ran toward the gate, firing a short shell-like burst of smoldering cinders at the guard tower to his right. The structure collapsed into rubble and smoke when the projectile hit.

He dashed through the chaos into the city.

:::

Delsin, crouched on top of the edge of a fire escape, eyed the Space Needle. _Must have really been _something_ in the past_, he imagined. _Now look at it_.

He had fought through wave after wave of patrols, destroying numerous containment trucks and discovering that the majority of the officers had some sort of control over earth, before reaching the area around the Space Needle.

_Okay, then, need to find the mobile data center. Can't let the DUP get in my way when I go looking for Fetch._

The DUP had taken over the Needle, converting it into their base of operations in the city. Evidently, some citizens were opposed to the concept of their beloved monument tarnished by the agency, as a small mob of about five protesters were arguing with a pair of officers. Delsin overheard only bits of the rant, like "...taken over our _city_! Now you have a_ giant_ _eavesdropping antenna_?! How long before you start breaking down our doors in the name of _protection and security_?!"

"_Calm down_, sir!" one of the guards said to the man speaking. Delsin ran over to the gate separating the interior of the grounds to the outside, hearing another officer say, "I don't understand them. We come in here to protect them from this Bioterrorist threat, and they treat _us_ like the enemy?"

Delsin heard the other officer start to reply as he dashed through the gate behind the first officer, grabbed his head, and killed him with a burning hand to his mouth. The second shouted "Bioterrorist!", before Delsin dashed over to him, grabbed him and slammed him to the ground.

He tuned out the repetitious "DUP is in control" jargon as he leapt over the railings, ran through the grass, jumped over another barrier, and sprinted out into the street.

"Hey, you!" an officer said. "This is a restricted area." He walked closer to Delsin. "Please confirm sus-"

Delsin began firing bolts of cinders at him, ignoring the bullets that shot past him by centimeters, and the ones that hit. As the officer went down, he began working down the other two, taking down the right one, then the left. He noticed a covered vent, and the restraints, shattering them. He collected the dust around him, and fired a cinder shell at the walkway above the lone artillery still firing at him. It collapsed, crushing the artillery and the gunner. Delsin destroyed the guard tower that connected to the former walkway, then ran over to a vent in the wall, dashed into it, and shot out the one on top of the building, grunting as he landed.

He shot out another covered vent before turning and destroying a gate to the inside of the compound. He ran inside and to the right, jumping and grabbing the walkway supports while officers fired at him. Delsin pulled himself up, ran out onto the walkway, and fired at the officer occupying the space. The officer gathered his energy, and shot up to the top of the tower with a spiral structure of dirt, before repeating the feat and jumping away, while Delsin fired at him.

"Good Lord, they're leaping!" Delsin said to himself, firing at the distant officers on another rooftop, before jumping off the walkway and gliding over to the opposite building as an RPG destroyed his former location. He teleported into the air, dashing and gliding over to the roof as the DUP officer jumped away. Delsin dashed after him, slamming into him with his chain.

He shelled the walkway and guard tower behind him, then destroyed an alarm mounted to a column and dashed over to it. He climbed the column, jumped off, and dashed to a roof. The officers on it spiraled away to outcroppings they had generated, but Delsin shot down one of them, finishing him off with the chain. He ran around the generator in the middle of the roof, and attacked the second officer as he landed.

He dashed down to the second floor, meleeing the nearest guard, flew over to the next, and smashed him down with one hit. A guard hiding in the bushes shot at Delsin, so he leapt over the rail, shelling him as he fell. He took down the next four in quick succession, taking note of the MDC next to him. He fired at the cooling system on the side, destroying it, then climbed on top of the MDC, jumped over the superheated and sparking motherboards, pulled them out, and smashed them with a fistful of cinders until he believed the data was fully corrupted. He dashed away, then looked back as the MDC made a short _POP_.

"Okay." Delsin said, then jerked away with a grunt as the vehicle exploded. He dashed over the rail, past the burning wreckage, to the edge of the steps as the DUP arrived, sirens whining. "Guess they called in some backup," he muttered to himself as he fired at the reinforcements. He ran to the right, dashed through the vent, and glided over to the middle of the group.

Delsin crouched down, breathing deep and gathering dust and ashes, then launched into the air in a trio of skyward comets, coming together at the apex. He grinned as he felt gravity pull him down, then he turned and thrust himself down to the ground. The earth shook as he hit, throwing the guards in the area up into the air, tossing back the trucks, and destroying everything on the ground.

As the dust settled, a few of the ashes came together and solidified into Delsin, who swayed in place and gazed at the destruction around him. "Huh," he said. "Not bad."

**Author's Note I: Sorry for not updating in a while, guys, been dealing with school. I will post Chapter IX ASAIF (as soon as I finish). Also, I'm going to let you guys decide some side and story missions Delsin could do, so PM me with your ideas.**

**Author's Note II: I'm almost done with Chapter IX, but I will take a break and edit the story to include the info from the new trailer and write a new chapter for the new gameplay.**


	11. Chapter IX

IX

Reggie lit up another Marlboro, fingering the M1911's trigger. _What's taking him so long,_ he thought. _I mean, if the Voice was correct…_

"No, Reggie," he said to himself, "the Voice is a terrorist. Delsin is _not_ the one."

So lost was he in thought, he barely noticed the thump on the roof.

Jerking his arm up, Reggie fired off two quick rounds through the fabric. Cursing, he dropped the gun on the stick shift. The truck lurched forward, picking up speed and filling the cabin with a nipping, roaring wind.

"Shit!" Reggie shouted, jamming the brakes and trying to get the pistol out of the crack of the stick shift. The stick broke.

_Uh-oh_.

A hand suddenly appeared on the edge of the windshield. Reggie aimed at the bottom of the hand, where the artery was, and fired.

The hand dissolved into jet black and crimson wisps for a moment before solidifying, completely undamaged. The owner poked his head into view, the offended target forming a bird. Delsin.

Delsin's mouth was moving, but Reggie couldn't hear him through the roar. Shaking his head, the stowaway pointed his hand at the road in the distance and melted the asphalt with cinders.

Reggie slammed on the brakes, tossing his brother from the truck. Delsin dematerialized when he hit the ground, the cloud of ash spreading thin before rushing forward, into the truck, and settling back into the passenger seat. Reggie kept his eyes on the road, stifling his argument while Delsin solidified. He stole a quick glance at the Conduit, to find that he was staring at him with annoyance.

"What?" Reggie muttered, easing his foot back onto the pedal and edging past the bubbling puddle of former road..

"You… _shot at me_," Delsin murmured, blinking about eight times, in rapid succession. "Why the hell would you do that?!"

"Because," Reggie said, "I didn't know it was you."

Delsin slid back in the seat.

"You going to fix that mess?" Reggie pointed at the bullet hole in the windshield glass, the one that was slowly leaching heat out of the truck body. His brother sighed, and pointed a finger at the opening.

:::

Delsin concentrated on the hole, to the exclusion of everything else. He felt the rage, the consuming heat, boil through his blood, into his hands, and out through the right index finger. A small jet of reddish-black flame emerged, elongating into a shard of hot cinders, which he carefully moved forward, gently touching the glass above the breach, and moved over and over in a semicircular motion. The plastic and glass slowly bubbled and ran over the hole, small droplets sizzling into the dashboard.

He fell back into the passenger seat, exhausted, but satisfied that he did a good job with the repair. Delsin saw Reggie, out of the corner of his eye, inspect his handiwork. He smiled, before blacking out.

:::

_Delsin._

_Father?_ _Delsin said, confused. He sat up and looked around, but all he saw was white._

_Delsin, I'm right here. The voice was in front of him._

_Delsin strained his eyes, staring until his eyes watered. Blinking quickly, he noticed a shift in the bright light. He thought he saw the general shape of a hand in the air. Getting to his feet, Delsin rushed forward, but he never could catch up and grab the hand. _

_Delsin, it's no use, his father's voice said. Not one of the living can see the bodies we now possess._

_No, Delsin shouted, I _have_ to see you, I've missed you for so long…_

_He slowed, falling to his hands and knees. Crying out in anguish, he watched the tears fall._

_I'm sorry, my son, Finn Rowe said. I'm proud of what you've done. I only wish I was there to see it._

_That doesn't change the fact that you're gone, Delsin muttered, pink eyes staring at his reflection in the puddles._

_No, Finn sighed, it doesn't. But now you have the power to make a difference. Just, don't waste your life for the sake of this one girl._

_What? Delsin jerked his head up in shock and confusion._

_The other Conduit, the one known as Fetch, don't waste your time with her. She's only going to get herself and the rest of the people she cares about killed, and I don't want you to be one of them._

_Just go _home_, Delsin, Finn said. Go home and live your life._

_Delsin, it's time to wake up._

:::

Delsin awoke with a cough, chest heaving. Reggie was standing over him, blocking the late afternoon sunlight, checking his pulse for signs of life. Delsin noticed the remnants of the truck a few yards behind them, filled with earth and fire.

"What-" Delsin hacked out.

"I don't know, Del," Reggie said to the pavement. "One minute, I was driving along, trying to avoid patrols, the next, I wake up, my truck," he motioned to the pile of scraps, "is destroyed, and you're lying on the ground, with barely a pulse."

Delsin rubbed his throat, coughing like crazy. "So, what do you remember from the time before you were knocked out?"

"Well," Reggie pondered, rubbing an imaginary beard, "I was trying to avoid the patrols, as I said before, and then.."

"Yeah?" Delsin prompted.

"There was someone in front of me," Reggie muttered, his forehead wrinkling. "I think it was a man in a tan suit. I'd swerved to avoid him, but he just held up his arm, and I blacked out."

Delsin, crouching, went over Reggie's recollection in his head, glancing at the wreckage. _As far as I can tell, the tan suit guy is another Conduit, _he reasoned. _But why did he attack in such a way that people would notice the abnormality?_

"Okay," Delsin said, looking up at Reggie, "we need to find an outpost, a campsite, _something_, so that someone can take us back home."

He rose, turned, and started walking in the direction of the wreck, not hearing as Reggie jogged after him, muttering, "Yeah,right. I'm _sure_ there will be civilization within the next 33 miles or so."

:::

The pair reached an outpost after about 2 hours and 25 miles. The sun had sunk into the horizon an hour and a half earlier. Delsin studied the place. Exactly like a woodland cottage in every respect, except for the truck behind the building and the sign hanging above the roof emblazoned with the words _Mount Rainier National Park Rangers_

Delsin bounded up the porch stairs and pounded on the door. A stocky black man with an orange eyepatch and a scar on the right side of his face yanked the door open, staring at the Conduit with surprise and a hint of suspicion. "What do you want?" he barked gruffly.

"My brother and I need to get home." Delsin replied. "We were in a wreck, and-"

"Let me guess," the scarred man said sarcastically, "you need a place to stay and a way to get back into the city or back home. Well," he said, his voice hardening as he reached for something out of Delsin's view, "I've seen enough nighttime wrecks in this area to know that it's nearly impossible to survive."

"So," he continued, bringing a MAUL shotgun into view and leveling it at Delsin's chest, "either you're one of the deviant Bioterrorists, or you have extremely bipolar luck. Which is it, hmm?"

Delsin was about to reply when Reggie, who was leaning against one of the pine pillars, suddenly pushed off and stepped forward into the light. "Wilson?" Reggie asked, his eyes widening. "Rafe Wilson?"

"Hey, Reginald," Rafe said. "Didn't expect you to come back after the eruption, what with Laura-"

"Yeah, let's _not_ talk about that,okay?" Reggie interrupted, eyes flashing. "Anyways, let's put the shotgun back before Delsin here gets pissed off and fries your good side."

Delsin shot back a look at him. Reggie ignored him, continuing while Rafe flipped the safety on, but keeping , "Like Delsin was saying, we need a ride back to Rainier."

Rafe gazed at his old friend, then at Delsin. "Okay," he submitted. "Just point me where you're going, and we'll go."

:::

Delsin stared at the back of Reggie's head as Rafe's Silverado bumped along the forest road. The two former officers were talking and laughing, but he only heard snatches of their conversation through the yellowed glass. From the pieces, he was able to understand that Rafe Wilson was once a ranger for the Mount Rainier National Park, before the War and the eruption.

Delsin didn't know what the eruption was about or how it happened, but he had heard from survivors that near the end of the War, a moderately powerful Bioterrorist named Matthew Walter had caused the ancient stratovolcano to detonate, spraying the area in a layer of ash and hot lava. The casualties were high, at least 330 thousand, with the shockwave generated by the blast flattening many of the surrounding towns and cities, and damaging many buildings in Seattle, including the Space Needle. The ICA had lost many members that day, losing the war soon after, with the DUP taking control of the area after they had finished routing the last of the "Bioterrorist threat".

There was a sudden ringing noise from the cabin of the truck. Rafe patted his breast pocket, took out his radio, and clicked the reply button on. He answered cautiously, then stopped the truck, slid back the glass separating Delsin from him and Reggie and handed him the communicator. "It's for you," he said with a raised eyebrow.

Delsin slowly raised the communicator to his mouth, clicking the reply button. "Hello? Who is this?" he said slowly, eyeing the quickly passing forest.

"Hello, Delsin," a rich, tenor-like voice responded. "This is Mrs. Napier. I've been watching you for a while, waiting for you to do something. Something _big_."

Delsin cupped the radio in his right hand, muttering with a small grin, "So, what did you think?"

"You didn't disappoint, that's for sure!" Mrs. Napier giggled. "I mean, with what the DUP has been doing over the past couple months, upsetting the established order, that takes some pretty big ones."

Delsin began to laugh, but suddenly stopped. With everything that just happened, how could he be sure that this "Mrs. Napier", as she called herself, was actually an opposing force to the DUP?

Very slowly, he said, "How can I be sure-"

"Shit!" Mrs. Napier said. "Delsin, the questions can wait! I just intercepted a DUP transmission to all local law enforcement officers, and, Delsin, they say that they have Esther Ridgeway."

Delsin stared at the glass in horror, his mind racing. _They'll kill her if I don't get there in time!_

He pounded on the glass, shouting as soon as Rafe opened the panel, "Step on it! We need to get to Rainier _now_!"

:::

"Okay, Delsin," Mrs. Napier said. "I've just texted you the entire floor plans for the Watershed, so that should make your job a little easier."

"Thanks, N," Delsin whispered, reaching for the shut off button on the radio. "Going radio silent."

"Good luck."

Delsin crept forward, careful to keep the general shrubbery surrounding him undisturbed. Napier had proved herself to be a useful ally, helping the trio bypass the security gate around the area, leading them through the winding forest paths to the rear of the compound, and keeping the patrols preoccupied with erratic orders for change in course from an "Officer Jackson". _Need to make sure I get to know her better,_ he noted.

A lone DUP officer strolled into view, whistling some old tune from before the War. Delsin waited until he had his back turned to the forest surroundings, then sneaked forward, scanning for any other patrollers and wrapping the chain around both hands. Seeing none, he wrapped the bulky garrote around the panicked guard's neck and pushed towards the ground. The guard's sudden scream was reduced to a wheezing vibration, as he vainly struggled to summon his comrades through a broken larynx. Delsin waited until the man had died, then vaulted over the railing, and headed into the building.

:::

Delsin flexed his fingers as the officers spread throughout the generator room, counting the strength of numbers. At least forty men stood between him and the way to Esther. He grinned, eyes narrowing. They had no idea what was about to happen.

He shifted a foot. A single shot rang out, the bullet hitting Delsin's ankle… and passing straight through. The entire group blanched, then stared as the offender was cut down like a irksome branch. He quickly shot down six of them before the firing began. Delsin dashed behind a concrete column, collecting his rage as the pieces chipped away. Dashing out of cover, he tossed out a cinder knife, then slid behind a turbine as the officers struggled to recover from the explosion. He peeked out, and seeing the enemies start to rise, ran over and beat them down to the floor.

Delsin stood over the twisted bodies of his kills, the rage dissipating to nausea. Bending over, he wretched on the faceplate of a fallen foe. Straightening, he turned his head towards the door, stepping over the obstacles and reaching for the handle.

He heard a small buzz above him, then felt a prick at his neck. Slapping at it, he quickly pulled his hand away and into view. His palm had bits of metal and glass on it. _Shit,_ he thought as his brain shut down and his vision narrowed to a pinprick, then vanished.

:::

_Two weeks earlier_

"Delsin, come on, we'll be late if we don't hurry."

"Don't worry, Esther," Delsin murmured, eyes closed as he lay with his hands behind his head on the grassy hill. "I'll make sure that your dad doesn't even notice you're gone."

"Yeah," he heard Esther quip," I'm sure you've got some serious arsenal up your sleeve. You'll just make it all disappear, like some magician."

"Sure," he said, opening his eyes and staring at the angelic, dark-haloed face hovering over him. He pecked Esther on the cheek, then sat up and drew his knees near his chin. He sighed as Esther ran her hands over his taut back, sliding them over his shoulders to interlock them around his neck.

"So," she whispered, her voice tickling his ear, "got any new paintings for me?"

"Yeah," he said, pulling his iPhone 7 out of his left jacket pocket. She took it, sapphire irises shining, lips set in a line, only a twitch betraying her satisfaction.

"So?" he prompted.

"Nice," she finally replied, handing him back the touchscreen, the tips of her fingers lingering on his wrist, her eyes lifting to meet his. "I mean, you're no Banksy," Esther elaborated as she withdrew her fingers and gazed up at the forest, "but you obviously know what you're doing. _Me_, on the other hand..."

"What happened?" Delsin prodded, his brow contracting.

"Oh... nothing major," she said hesitantly, brushing a wayward lock from her eyes, _still _not meeting his gaze. "Just got a job offer, that's all."

"With whom?"

"The DUP," she said in a rush. "They said that they wanted someone who had knowledge of the area around Seattle, so-"

"_What?!_" Delsin shouted in shock and rage. "Es, you know what they are! The _only_ thing they offer is-"

"What, Del," Esther interrupted, her voice rising, " the only thing they offer is what, _death and chaos?_ This is an opportunity for me, and you're going to sit and tell me that I shouldn't take it?"

"No, I just don't want to lose you," Delsin whispered, tears beginning to drip down his chin.

"Well," Esther choked, "you just did."

:::

"Mr. Rowe."

Delsin slowly opened his eyes to blinding light, and quickly screwed them shut. He cracked them open after the throbbing had stopped. He was in a dimly lit control room, molded to a chair made of concrete, some sort of armband latched onto his left arm, and about six to seven DUP officers had their shotguns or assault rifles trained on his chest or head.

"Mr. Rowe, allow me to let you in on a... well," the quiet, numb voice murmured, "a little secret."

The shadows in front of Delsin's eyes parted to reveal a lean, blond-haired male in civilian clothes and slacks, hands clasped behind him and a wrapped object strapped to his left shoulder.

"You see, I have quite a common name. Johnathan Grey. Before all of this, we could pass each other on the street, and you would think I was just another white-collar worker, working for a patsy government, with no idea what evil the corporations who run the country have done, and you my superior. But now..."

Grey unsheathed a strangely shaped sword, watching Delsin as he lowered the maroon blade to his right side. "You want to know what this is, huh? Well, it's an ancient Japanese weapon called the tanto, a kind of katana. This particular one was handed down to me from my father. A bad man, but," he shrugged, "at least he gave me this. _Now_," he whispered, "the scales are balanced."

He snapped his fingers, and a girl stumbled out of the darkness, falling to the concrete floor. Delsin stared at her, fear returning. "Esther?" he whispered

Grey grabbed Esther roughly by the hair and jerked her up, ignoring the cries of pain and fear as he did this. Twin streams of concrete flowed up to her wrists, meeting and hardening. She gazed at her wrists in horror, trying to jerk away from the firm grip on her locks. Esther looked up, bloodshot sapphires wide in terror as she met Delsin's blurring gaze. "Delsin, _help_-" she started to scream, when Grey backhanded her across the face. She collapsed to the floor.

"You _bastard_!" Delsin shouted at Grey as he struggled futilely against his restraints, obscenities streaming from his lips to mix with the fast-coming tears dripping to the floor. Throat growing raw, he stared in mute, horrified rage as his tormenter grabbed Esther's arm, pulling her up to her knees, the gray liquid forming a bar across her stained jeans.

"Do you have any _idea_," Grey said, feathered voice growing gravelly and hard with amusement and a hint of rage, but a smile starting to appear, "what I could do to this girl? Esther, isn't it?" He turned his eyes down to the shivering girl, gaze tracing the quivering, shoulder-length taupe hair, the clenched jaw, the fiery eyes. He squatted, reaching out his hand to brush a stray hair from her face. She flinched away.

Grey withdrew his hand, wiping it on a teal sleeve. He looked up at Delsin, and the white chasm grew. His laurel eyes showed no fear, and all madness. Dropping to his knees once more, he turned his back to his observer. "Here," he tossed out, a short giggle drifting out, "I'll show you." He plunged the blade into Esther's abdomen, twisted, then yanked it out, oblivious to the cries from both the victims, one of agony and pain, the other of rage and misery. Rising to his feet, he wiped the blade with its wrap, then sheathed it and strode out of the room. The guards stood at attention as he passed, then retreated. Delsin's seating and Esther's restraints dissolved as soon as they left.

"_Esther!_" Delsin sobbed, sprinting over to her side. "I'm sorry, I never should have-" He broke off, vision blurring as he took off his jacket, stuffing it into the narrow, but deep wound. "Oh, God!"

"It's alright, Del," she whispered, lifting her hand to stroke his face. "I should have listened to you. Just promise me one thing…"

Hands stilling, Delsin stared into her peaceful eyes. "Anything," he whispered, cupping her head in his right palm.

"Do right with your life," she whispered, voice strengthening. "For me, and for all the others."

The hand fell away as the eyes dulled. Sobbing uncontrollably, Delsin drew the body to his chest, gathered the legs, and rose, putting the arms around his neck, the head on his shoulder, and, closing the eyelids, he walked out of the room.

:::

Delsin sat back on his haunches in the freshly churned andisol underneath the pines, exhausted, not from the labor, but from the hollow in his chest. _I should have told her,_ he mused numbly. Pushing off from the ground, he stumbled towards the path he had come from.

_An hour and a half later_

"What happened?" Reggie asked as Delsin climbed into the back of the Silverado. Rafe started up the truck and began slowly driving away.

"She's gone."

"Delsin, _what happened_?"

"She's _dead_, okay?" Delsin shouted, red-hot tears surfacing as he looked up. "She was murdered, right in front of me. I had all this power, and I couldn't save her."

"I know," Reggie said empathetically, looking through the window at his brother. "I know, but you have to keep going, for her."

Delsin gave a short bark of laughter, grinning in spite of the tears streaming down. "That's the last thing she said to me."

"Well, she was right." Reggie paused, lost in his own mind for a moment.

"Where to now?" Rafe said, breaking the silence.

"Home." Delsin said. "We need to go home."


End file.
